Statement of requirements on the accuracy of rocket CFD analysis using exterior ballistics for example rocket models

Abstract

In this paper, the problem of acceptable accuracy of a rocket’s aerodynamic characteristics obtained from CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analysis for defining its aerodynamic characteristics is considered from the point of view of exterior ballistics, particularly by the estimation of the rocket’s simulated flight range change caused by CFD errors. The results obtained in this paper allow stating the requirement on acceptable accuracy of defining the aerodynamic characteristics for developing new rockets through CFD analysis based on several examples, which can be propagated to other cases of rocket design and development. Using this study as a method, the CFD engineers who work on rocket design and development can estimate the accepted accuracy margin of their CFD analysis and research solutions to get reliable results for the expected flight characteristics of the rocket.